CHAP. VI. 



DEATH AND CHARACTER. 



79 



called him frequently to London, where he spent part of 

 every year, occupying chambers in Gray's Inn. He 

 had joined his friend Mr. Holmes, in 1771, in the pro- 

 prietorship of the works for supplying Deptford and 

 Greenwich with water, which also required his presence 

 in town, and he devoted considerable attention to the 

 requisite mechanical arrangements. On the occasion of 

 his visits to London, it was a source of great pleasure 

 to him to attend the meetings of the Royal Society, 

 as well as to cultivate a friendship with the distin- 

 guished members of the Royal Society Club. 1 He 

 was also a frequent witness before committees of both 

 Houses of Parliament 2 in support of bills for authorising 

 the construction of bridges, canals, and water- works ; 

 and was accustomed on such occasions to give his evi- 

 dence in a modest, simple, and straightforward manner, 

 which is calculated to win confidence and respect far 

 more than that glib and unscrupulous style which has 

 since become the fashion. Moreover, he was known to 

 be a most conscientious man, and that he would not ex- 

 press an opinion on any subject until he had thoroughly 

 mastered it. 



During the time spent by Mr. Smeaton in town, he 

 was accustomed to meet once a week, on Friday even- 

 ings, in a sort of club, a few friends of the same call- 

 ing, canal-makers, bridge-builders, and others of the 



1 James Watt writes : " When I 

 was in London in 1785, 1 was received 

 very kindly by Mr. Cavendish and 

 Dr. Blagden, and my old friend 

 Smeaton, who has recovered his 

 health, and seems hearty. I dined 

 at a turtle feast with them, and the 

 select Club of the Royal Society ; and 

 never was turtle eaten with greater 

 sobriety and temperance, or more good 

 fellowship." 'Rise and Progress of 

 the Royal Society Club.' 1860. 



2 It is stated in a recent work, 

 edited by the learned Recorder of Bir- 

 mingham, M. D. Hill, Esq., entitled 



' Our Exemplars,' that " Smeaton was 

 for several years an active member of 

 Parliament, and many useful bills 



are the result of his exertions 



His speeches were always heard with 

 attention, and carried conviction to 

 the minds of his auditors." This 

 must, however, be a mistake, as 

 Smeaton was never in Parliament, 

 except for the purpose of giving en- 

 gineering evidence before committees ; 

 and, instead of being eloquent, Mr. 

 Playfair says he was very embar- 

 rassed even in his ordinary conversa- 

 tion. 



